EUROPEAN PATENT ORGANISATION
Revision of the European Patent Convention
The European Patent Convention has been revised for the first time since 1973. A Conference of the 16 Contracting States1 on the Revision of Article 63 EPC was held in Munich on 16 and 17 December 1991 and unanimously adopted the following: Act revising Article 63 EPC, Resolution on mutual information and Final Act.
Immediately after the Conference the Revision Act, which is open for signature in the European Patent Office until 17 June 1992, was signed by 14 Contracting States.
The revised text of Article 63 EPC will enter into force either two years after the ninth Contracting State has deposited its instrument of ratification or accession or on the first day of the third month following the deposit of the instrument of ratification or accession by the last of all Contracting States to take this step, whichever is the earlier.
1 Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.